Drylands Coordination Group

One of the main environmental problems in Ethiopia is land degradation manifested in the form of soil erosion, gully formation, soil fertility loss and severe soil moisture stress. The scale of this unsustainable land development has increased due to mismanagement of the land such as deforestation, overgrazing, over-cultivation and inappropriate farming practices without implementing soil conservation measures. This problem has been partly attributed to lack of land ownership rights. Farmers have the right to use the land but do not have the right to transfer the land holding to others in sale or in exchange by another property.

Cognizant of the extent of the problem, in 2000, the Amhara National Regional State (ANRS) presented the Rural Land Administration and Use proclamation (Proclamation No.46/2000) in spite of the absence of such a policy at the federal level (ANRS, 2000). The proclamation defined the right of possession as well as the right to use, rent and inheritance of land use rights. The policies stated objectives are to ensure the long-term land use rights of the landholders and to encourage productivity and sustainable development. It also aims to initiate a sense of security of rights among land users to encourage them to safeguard the soil and thereby sustain its productivity. Following the proclamation, land certification activities have been implemented in the Region. Accordingly, about two million households having more than 2 million hectares of land were issued a primary book of certification up to 2009.

However there are different opinions on the effects of land certification. Hoben (2000) states that the current system has detrimental effects on agricultural productivity and natural resource conservation because it does not guarantee security of tenure and undermines incentives. Controversies between the objective of the proclamation and what is really happening on the ground needs to be studied.

This study has the following major objectives:

To investigate the impact of land certification to long-term investments and sustainable land resources management in the dry land areas of the Amhara National Regional State.

To investigate the perception of farmers towards land certification and land ownership.

To investigate if land certification has brought about confidence for farmers in land use rights and resumed good land management initiatives.

To investigate if land certification encouraged productivity and sustainable development

To assess impacts of land certification on marginalized groups of the society.

To forward recommendations that will assist in making policy decisions.

The following specific activities will be carried out under this research project

Consultation with relevant stakeholders

Conducting house hold (HH), key informants and focus group discussion, in addition to collecting secondary data.

Data analysis, synthesis of results and report writing

Sharing information with concerned stakeholders

Preparation of policy document and follow up strategy document

Workshop related to policy work.

NGOs will get first hand information on the effect of land certification on land resources management, and can use this in the planning of development projects.

The information to be generated will be useful input to policy makers to make policy decisions that will bring about sustainable land resources management in Amhara Region

DCGs members will use the results to influence policies on local, national and international levels.

Scientists will have first hand information on the issue, and will use this to update their teaching materials.